Do you wake up feeling exhausted, in spite of a full eight hours’ worth of sleep? Do you receive numerous complaints from loved ones about your loud snoring? What about headaches, fatigue, and even irritability? Are these issues with which you continue to suffer? If so, it’s important to determine if Obstructive Sleep Apnea could be to blame. OSA is a condition that affects millions of Americans. Sadly, it can lead to far worse issues than just poor sleep, for instance heightened risk of heart-related problems, depression, and even stroke. Fortunately, OSA can often be addressed with minimally invasive dental treatment. That means your dentist could actually help you start sleeping more soundly, soon.
What Is OSA and Why Does It Require Treatment?
Obstructive Sleep Apnea is caused when one’s soft tissues continually shift to block the passageway during sleep. This leads to momentarily lapses in breath that can occur dozens or even hundreds of times in a single night. Over time, these temporarily lapses can then cause a host of health concerns, as well as loud snoring.
How Can a Dentist Help
To help treat OSA, many dentists recommend sleep appliances that help to keep the soft tissue from shifting and blocking one’s airway. These appliances are custom devices that resemble the mouthguards traditionally worn during orthodontic treatment, or even sporting events to protect teeth. Many patients find these devices less cumbersome and difficult to adjust to wearing, than the Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machines that doctors often recommend.
To determine if this is the right treatment for you, speak with your dentist about OSA.
